Kyoto has many sightseeing spots. Some of them are extraordinarily popular, while some are not, although this has very little to do with their value. When visiting the extraordinarily popular spots, most of the time there are hundreds of people around, and it might take twice as long as when there are fewer people. In addition, do not forget the way to get there is also busy and uncomfortable.

The best way to avoid this situation is to use the hop on-off bus called Kyoto World Heritage Tour Bus as explained in this article.

The second best solution is to visit the exceptionally busy places in the morning. Since most of the temples/shrines open at 8:30 – 9:00 AM, for those who stay at a hotel near Kyoto Station it is wise to go to the bus terminal at around 8:00 – 8:30 AM. This will surely help avoid the “rush”.

The following is a list of the extraordinarily popular sightseeing spots, their opening times and estimated traveling time using City Bus from Kyoto Station. For those who plan to use City Bus as a main transportation method, be sure to buy One Day Bus Pass at the bus office outside Kyoto Station (Kyoto Tower side).

Kiyomizudera Temple
Opening Time 6:00
Estimated Traveling Time 20 minutes

Kinkakuji Temple
Opening Time 9：00
Estimated Traveling Time 40 minutes

Ginkakuji Temple
Opening Time　8:30 (March – November) 9:00 (December – February)
Estimated Traveling Time 40 minutes

Nijo Castle
Opening Time 8：45
Estimated Traveling Time 15 – 20 minutes

Yasaka Shrine/Gion District
Opening Time anytime (shops/offices should start at around 9:00 AM)
Estimated Traveling Time 25 minutes

For more fun and useful information, which will make your Kyoto Travel more memorable, exciting and stress-free, please check our Kyoto e-Guidebook.